In honor of Black History Month, the Lightswitch Video team put together a list of a few movies brought to life by Black filmmakers. While Black filmmakers are still underrepresented in the entertainment industry, watching and talking about the films they make is one way to help create more opportunities for more stories to be told on screen.

Here are seven films that our team recommends you start with:

“Emergency” (2022) dir. Carey Williams

Ready for a night of legendary partying, three college students must weigh the pros and cons of calling the police when faced with an unexpected situation.

“Girls Trip” (2017) dir. Malcolm D. Lee

When four lifelong friends travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there's enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.

“Clemency” (2019) dir. Chinonye Chukwu

As she prepares to execute another inmate, Bernadine must confront the psychological and emotional demons her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is sanctioned to kill.

“Get Out” dir. Jordan Peele (2017)

A young African-American visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a boiling point.

“Black Panther” (2018) dir. Ryan Coogler

T'Challa, heir to the hidden but advanced kingdom of Wakanda, must step forward to lead his people into a new future and must confront a challenger from his country's past.

“Deep Cover” (1992) dir. Bill Duke

A uniformed cop is recruited by a drug enforcement agent to infiltrate a drug smuggling ring looking to expand its operation.

“If Beale Street Could Talk” (2018) dir. Barry Jenkins

A young woman embraces her pregnancy while she and her family set out to prove her childhood friend and lover innocent of a crime he didn't commit.